In a principal aspect the present invention relates to an item of luggage and, more particularly, to an item of luggage which may be converted from a duffle bag to a garment bag, or vice versa.
Travelers often find themselves desirous of packing their belongings in a duffle bag which is a soft sided, generally tubular shaped bag that can be easily carried and typically stored in an overhead storage bin of an airplane, for example. On the other hand, often a traveler will desire to transport a suit or another garment in a garment bag which enables utilization of hangers and further which enables hanging of the bag from a hook or the like for ease of access. Further, a garment bag is very useful for maintaining a garment item, such as a suit on a hanger in a flat, unfolded condition. These two desires associated with travel often entail the necessity to carry multiple bags in situations where a single bag might be suitable for carrying the garments and associated items such as toiletries and the like.
Another factor relating to baggage choice involves display and shipping issues. For example, duffle bags may require a larger package for purposes of shipment and display at a point of sale. Thus, for various reasons, there has developed a desire to provide a bag or item of luggage having the capabilities of a duffle bag as well as a garment bag.